IN MEMORiaM 



J. H. MASTERS 

 Died June 10, 1909. Age, 89 Years. 



Hon. James Harris Masters, tlie pioneer nurseryman of Ne- 

 braska and first president of tlais Society, was born in Warren 

 county, Kentucliy, ten miles from Bowling Green, August 15, 

 1819. In 1828 the family moved to Springfield, Illinois. At the 

 age of eighteen he learned the carpenter's trade, which he fol- 

 lowed in Illinois until 1853, when he moved to Atchison county, 

 Missouri, where he grew seedlings and root grafts for the pur- 

 pose of starting a nursery in Nebraska as soon as the govern- 

 ment should open the land for settlement. In 1854 he moved to 

 Nebraska and settled in Otoe county near Nebraska City, where 

 he operated a nursery for a number of years. 



Mr. Masters was a charter member of the Nebraska State Hor- 

 ticultural Society, having allied himself with the Society at the 

 time of its organization in 1869. He was its first president and 

 served in this capacity for eight years. He was active in the 

 work of the Society for many years and furnished much fruit 

 from his orchards for exhibits made by the Society at its meet- 

 ings and at expositions outside of the state. 



Mr. Masters was a member of the state legislature in 1872. He 

 was a member of the ]\lasonic order and a life member of the 

 American Pomological Society. He was an influential member 

 of the Methodist church, of which he was trustee and sfeward 

 for many years. He was married three times and was the father 

 of six children, five of whom survive him. He passed away at 

 Syracuse, Nebraska, June 10, 1909. 



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